MLS NEXT today announced the 45 players selected to the inaugural MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate. The game will provide a world-class experience for the best young players in North America to showcase their talent on a national stage.
Two teams will compete in an East vs. West format at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. on the day of the MLS All-Star Game, Wednesday, August 10. Twenty-eight of the 29 MLS academies had at least one player selected to the inaugural rosters, with Inter Miami CF, Philadelphia Union, and San Jose Earthquakes leading the way with three selections apiece. Five non-MLS academies will also be represented in Blaine: Barca Residency Academy, De Anza Force, PDA, Strikers, and the San Francisco Glens.
East Roster (22)
Player (Age), Team
Ignacio Alem (16), D.C. United
Esmir Bajraktarevic (17), New England Revolution
Israel Boatwright (17), Inter Miami CF
Thomas Bouffard (17), CF Montréal
Brian Carmona Romero (16), Charlotte FC
Noah Cobb (17), Atlanta United FC
Benjamin Cremaschi (17), Inter Miami CF
Giorgio DeLibera (17), Columbus Crew
Bento Estrela (16), New York Red Bulls
David Garcia (18), FC Cincinnati
Alejandro Granados Torres (16), Orlando City SC
Malachi Grant (16), Atlanta United FC
Colin Griffith (18), PDA
Daniel Krueger (16), Philadelphia Union
Stanislav Lapkes (16), Columbus Crew
Favian Loyola (17), Orlando City SC
Jack Panayotou (18), New England Revolution
Adam Pearlman (17), Toronto FC
Andrew Rick (16), Philadelphia Union
Diego Rossi (17), New York City FC
Kobi Thomas (17), Inter Miami CF
Marcos Zambrano-Delgado (17), Philadelphia Union
West Roster (23)
Player (Age), Team
Alejandro Alcala (17), LA Galaxy
Christopher Aquino (16), Seattle Sounders FC
Edgar Bazan (16), Sporting Kansas City
Adam Beaudry (16), Colorado Rapids
Alejandro Carrillo (17), Nashville SC
Kevin Chavarria (17), Colorado Rapids
Mihail Gherasimencov (17), Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Andre Gitau (16), Houston Dynamo FC
Anthony Gonzalez (17), Austin FC
Stuart Hawkins (16), Seattle Sounders FC
Gershon Henry (16), Real Salt Lake
Bryce Jamison (16), Barca Residency Academy
Marcus Lee (16), Strikers
Carlos Leatherman (17), Minnesota United FC
Cruz Medina (16), San Jose Earthquakes
Malachi Molina (16), FC Dallas
Bryan Moyado (17), Los Angeles FC
Drew Murray (17), San Jose Earthquakes
Emmanuel Ochoa (17), San Jose Earthquakes
Kevin Rodriguez Andrade (17), San Francisco Glens
Ian Shaul (16), Portland Timbers
Roka Tsunehara (16), De Anza Force
Fritz Volmar (17), St. Louis City SC
The MLS NEXT Player Selection Committee also advised on the selection of the coaching staff for both East and West clubs. The head coach of the East team will be MLS Great Javier Morales, who appeared in 255 MLS matches across his 11-year playing career and is currently an Inter Miami academy coach. Morales will be joined on the bench by Rob Becerra of the New England Revolution, who coached the U19 Revolution team to a championship at the 2021-22 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs in July.
Leading the West squad will be MLS Great Jeremy Hall, who played 127 games for five MLS teams during his playing career and is currently an assistant coach for MNUFC2 of MLS NEXT Pro. Joining Hall is assistant coach Antonio Medina, who coached the U19 San Francisco Glens to a runner-up finish at the 2021-22 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs.
MLS NEXT and Allstate will provide the players with a once-in-a-lifetime player experience during MLS All-Star Week, with a full slate of evening programming events and activities in advance of gameday. The players will be fully integrated into MLS All-Star Week festivities while training and competing in their own All-Star Game.
The 45 players were chosen by the MLS NEXT Player Selection Committee, which is made up of key MLS Player Development department personnel, following the conclusion of the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase. Players must have been U-18 (born in 2004 or earlier) and have competed in one of the MLS NEXT national showcase events this season, including MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex, Generation adidas Cup, and MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase.
The match will be streamed live and further tune-in details will be available at a later date. Admission to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate at the National Sports Center is free of cost.
